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Experts carried out tests at a fire service centre, reconstructing the room in which the fire started using the exact same materials.

That test, fire chiefs say, didn’t provide them with the answers they expected.

Last week a team investigating the blaze met to discuss its findings, but concluded more work was needed before a conclusion could be reached.

A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “A great deal of investigation work has been carried out following the devastating Christie fire just over two months ago.

“Recently officers carried out some tests at our training and development centre in Manchester, where they reconstructed the room in which the fire started using the exact materials from that room. Those tests didn’t give us all the answers we had anticipated and further investigation work, including revisiting the scene of the fire, is needed before a cause can be determined.

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A GMFRS spokeswoman added: “We are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire at The Christie. We are hoping today to reactivate the fire alarm as part of this investigation and understand the history of that system.

“Whilst we do not have a definite cause yet we are focusing our investigation on the repair work that was being carried out on the roof.”

The repairs meant that a large section of the building was already surrounded by scaffolding before the fire broke out at around 10.36am.

A total of £102,000 been raised by generous M.E.N. readers and others to help support the centre’s staff get back to their research as quickly as possible.

The building is part of the University of Manchester. A spokesman for the university refused to comment on a possible cause of the fire - or on the cost of the damage.